


Ballast

by heavy_cream



Series: The Unraveling of Spring [2]
Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Anal Sex, Blow Jobs in a Car, Bottom Kaburagi T. Kotetsu, Established Relationship, Family, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gay Sex, M/M, Misunderstanding, Sex, Sex in a Car, Sort Of, Top Barnaby "Bunny" Brooks Jr., barnaby is an awkward adult, blowjob, idk what else to tag this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:54:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23521150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heavy_cream/pseuds/heavy_cream
Summary: What were you supposed to do with a teenage girl anyway? What were you supposed to do with the teenage daughter of your lover? Of yourwidowedlover?---In which Barnaby is his regular emotionally stunted self and almost makes a teenager cry in a mall.
Relationships: Barnaby "Bunny" Brooks Jr./Kaburagi T. Kotetsu
Series: The Unraveling of Spring [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1691416
Comments: 4
Kudos: 96





	Ballast

**Author's Note:**

> I'M SORRY I FIXED THE RATING AND THE TAGS OMG. Woefully unbetated.

Barnaby stepped out of the shower and went straight to the phone, hastily hooking the towel around his hips. When he saw the caller ID he smiled.

“Bunny~”

“Good morning to you too.”

“Ahh, yeah sorry for calling so early but I need to ask you for a favor. Wait, did you just shower?” Kotetsu asked apparently finally noticing Bunny’s shirtless state.

“Just finished. They are less fun without you,” Barnaby said and watched amused as Kotetsu blushed. It was just so easy to embarrass him. “What did you want?”

“What?” Kotetsu asked dazed and Bunny laughed.

“What’s the favor?” He asked, walking to his closet to pick out his clothes for the day. It was June and Summer had come with a vengeance, so something that would not plaster itself to his body within five minutes was in order.

“I totally forgot that Saito had scheduled stress testing for the suit today and I have to be there like 5 minutes ago. And Kaede is coming in today so could you please go to the station and pick her up?” 

Bunny jerked surprised, dropping the shirt he’d just been perusing. “But-I-”

“Please, Bunny!”

Barnaby looked at him anguished. “Are you- can’t you- I'm not sure I'm the best person to ask this of. Isn’t there someone else?” He raked a hand through his hair and felt awfully pushes against a wall. It’s not that he didn’t like Kaede, he liked her just fine, but they had never spent any time together that was just them, and no matter how much Kotetsu told him she was okay with their relationship, it always felt awkward. 

Kotetsu gave him an uncommonly stern look, one, he noted, that bore hints of disappointment. “I’m asking you,” he simply said and Barnaby felt the fight leave him abruptly. Kaede was certainly old enough to get to her father’s apartment even on her own. But he was asking him. 

Barnaby took a deep breath. “Her train arrives at ten, right?”

Kotetsu smiled. “Yes, platform three.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Bunny,” Kotetsu said and Barnaby imagined he’d probably reach out to touch him if here were there. “Thank you,” he said and made him sigh.

“Call me when you are done, to let you know where we are,” Bunny said with affection, wishing he could feel that touch, to be reassured.

“I will. See ya,” Kotetsu waved and disconnected the call. Bunny stood in his bedroom, wondering how on earth he was going to not let him down. Feeling weary he dressed for the day.

***

Kaede stepped off the train into the sweltering heat that was so unique to asphalted cities. Pressing her bag closer she looked around the platform looking for her father who was sure to have something ridiculous. Like balloons. 

“Kaede.”

She heard her name called and turned and instead saw Barnaby making his way through the crowd.

“Barnaby,” she said feeling awkward. Why was he here? Where was dad? She’d rather have him and his stupid balloons than Barnaby who she didn’t even know how to talk to.

“Hello,” he said and smiled, hoping to hide the nervousness he was feeling. 

“Hi, ouhm, where’s dad?” She asked, looking around as they walked off the platform towards the parking lot, hoping he would show up any minute now.

“He didn’t call you?” Barnaby asked and one look at her face was answer enough. He really shouldn’t have expected Kotetsu to be responsible enough to let his daughter know that there had been a change of plans. As if this wasn’t hard enough already. “I’m sorry, your father had something urgent to do at work, so I came to pick you up instead.”

“Oh,” she said, shifting her bag. “He could have just told me. I’m old enough to go to his apartment on my own,” she muttered and frowned.

“Ah.” What the hell should he say? He had thought the same, hadn’t he? He was out of his comfort zone, out of his fricking orbit. “There is hardly any point in being on your own when there is someone you can be with instead,” he said and hoped it sounded reasonable enough. 

“He’s just being an unnecessary worrywart, as always, and treating me like a little girl.”

“He doesn’t mean any harm. It’s just the way he is,” he said opening the car door for her in an automatic move that puzzled her. “So, what do you want to do?” He asked once he’d gotten in himself. 

“Just take me-“ she started and broke off. She had meant to simply go to her Dad’s apartment and wait there, but what if Barnaby was living there? What if they had moved in together? Her dad would absolutely forget to tell her crucial information like this, and if that were the case that would mean the two of them in that place the entire time and wasn’t that thought weird enough!? Maybe that’s why he had told Barnaby to pick her up in the first place, so she wouldn’t be surprised to get to his apartment and see him there. 

“Yes?” Barnaby prompted when Kaede just stared at him.

“No- ah- I… don’t… know,” she ended up saying lamely, sitting completely straight, her hands twisted together in nerves and awkwardness and anger at her Dad for putting her in this position in the first place. 

Barnaby had his hands curled around the steering wheel as if it was the only thing keeping him from knotting them together in a far more embarrassing imitation of Kaede’s own. What did you do with a teenage girl anyway? What did you do with the teenage daughter of your lover? Of your _widowed_ lover? 

If he could, he would have lowered his head against the steering wheel. _No, no, come on think._ He was the thinker, right? He was the strategist, the man with the plan. Tapping his finger against the wheel for a moment, he thought back to what the girls at the orphanage were always talking about. Movies, music, crushes, those seemed to be common topics, so, where could he find all of that? 

“The mall,” he said and Kaede blinked.

“What?”

“There’s a new mall not far from here,” he said hoping he sounded more confident than he felt. “We could go check it out and then grab some lunch?” 

Kaede shrugged, it was better than sitting in an apartment with him. At least at a mall there were other people and more distractions. “Yeah, sure.”

“Okay,” Barnaby said trying to unclench his hands to drive. This was going to be a hell of a long day. He was going to murder Kotetsu later. He started the car and wove through traffic in his usual way, driving fast and smooth through the city, feeling for the first time since he woke up that morning like he was in control. He was so focused on the driving that he didn’t notice Kaede’s excitement at the speed. Her father would never do something like that and it made her feel oddly grown-up.

“By the way,” Barnaby interrupted her thoughts.

“Yeah?”

“Was there a specific reason you came here? I mean,” Barnaby tried again since it sounded rude, “was there something, in particular, you wanted to do in Sternbild?”

“No, not really,” she lied. Barnaby frowned. “It’s just that summer break at home is kind of boring, there isn’t that much to do.”

“Ah, I hated the holidays when I was your age. I liked school, it was better than those endless days at the Orphanage,” he said.

“Oh,” she said surprised. She had forgotten that about him. “How was that like?” She wondered absentmindedly and quickly regretted it. “I-I mean you don’t have to talk about it,” she stammered.

He was silent a moment. He rarely answered those questions and when he did, he never answered with the truth. But he couldn’t do that with her. He couldn’t not answer, and he couldn’t lie to her either. It was all about trust, wasn’t? Nothing ventured, nothing gained, he thought. 

“Lonely,” he said. “It was very lonely.”

“I’m sorry,” she said and honestly felt it.

“It’s not your fault.”

“But… still…”

He looked at her again and saw her honest face, the one without the anger and teenage righteousness she usually had, the one that was of the little girl who also knew what it was to grow up without a parent. It was an unexpected kinship.

“Many people have asked me,” he said and looked at her, “but this is the first time I’ve answered truthfully. We are here,” he quickly added, wanting to move away from the topic. Since she just nodded and avoided looking at him, he figured she wanted just the same. 

Since Kaede kept refusing to do anything in particular, Barnaby made up errands as he went along, taking her to different stores, pleased that she seemed to find something of interest in most of them. For a moment he actually lost sight of her and had a mild panic attack before he found her looking at sporting goods in the shop.

“What are you looking at?” He asked approaching her and she jerked slightly surprised as if embarrassed to be caught enjoying something. “Ice skating?” He asked noticing the poster she’d been looking at 

“I do a little bit of that, as a hobby mostly. The championship is in December but they have other events before that.”

“Did you want to go see them?”

“I would love to! But most of them are during the school year, and mostly during the week. There is one in November but that one is really hard to get into, it gets sold out really fast.” Barnaby opened his mouth to answer when a young clerk approached them.

“I’m sorry miss, I’m afraid we don’t have that style in your size,” he said and Barnaby raised his brows. Kaede thanked him and blushing, faced Barnaby.

“Ah, I kind of needed new skates.”

“Ah,” Barnaby said and smiled. There had been something she wanted after all. This he could do. “In that case,” he said and checked his watch, “I think I could help you out. How about some lunch while I set it up?” He asked in high spirits and Kaede couldn't understand the sudden change of mood.

“S-sure,” she said and Barnaby smiled.

“Good, there’s this Bistro I know,” he started and led the way back to the car, chatting merrily on and Kaede was grateful for the normalcy of the conversation.

***

“They can meet us right away,” Barnaby said and pocketed his phone to finish his coffee, while Kaede finished her ice cream. During lunch, he’d made a series of short phone-calls that had left her clueless, and through which he had set up a meeting with a prestigious sports-good store, right there at the mall.

“Who will meet us?” She asked and when Barnaby told her the name of the store, she almost choked.

“H-how? Why-“ she stammered out.

“Why, because you need new skates, and I’m very certain they’ll have anything you might possibly need. As to how, I have a few contacts there who are willing to do me a favor or two.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to call in favors for me…” Kaede trailed off bothered by the entire thing, feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable.

Barnaby waved his hand even as he stood up. “Nonsense, they are glad to be of help.”

Kaede pushed away from the table and followed him to the car. The entire way towards the store she was silent, feeling just weird and awkward and she didn’t know how to talk to him really and why was he being so nice and buddy-buddy? It’s not like she wanted him to buy her anything in the first place. She had her own dad for that, didn’t she? 

“Why are you doing this?” Kaede suddenly asked.

“Why?” Bunny asked surprised. “You said you needed new skates, I know someone who can help. We are here.”

They had barely entered the store when a man fit to be a model himself, came to greet them. He was at least 6 ft tall, brown hair, green eyes, dressed in jeans and a blazer. His smile was both friendly and flawless. He was the kind of man that Kaede thought didn't actually exist outside magazines. He greeted Barnaby with a fleeting hug.

“Barnaby!”

“Anthony, thank you for meeting us on such short notice.”

“Oh there is no need to thank me at all, it’s truly a pleasure," he turned to Kaede and offered a hand. "And you must be Miss Kaede, nice to meet you, Anthony Burke at your service. I understand you are looking for a new pair of skates?”

“I-I-“ she stammered suddenly overwhelmed by the man who in spite of his politeness and smiles was incredibly intimidating. She looked at Barnaby for help.

"She would like to see the styles you have here."

“Brilliant, this way, I’m sure you will find what you need here,” he continued and turned to walk ad Barnaby and Kaede followed. At the back of the store, there was another clerk was already waiting for them, a selection of skates set out. 

"I guessed your size but you should check if these fit. If not, I'm sure Anthony can help us get the right size."

"Of course, if you like the style, we can absolutely get the right size."

Barnaby watched as Kaede just stood there, not moving and frowning intensely. Barnaby had made a mistake and for the life of him he couldn't figure out what he had done wrong now.

"Anthony, perhaps you could give us a moment?" 

"Of course! Let us know when you are ready," he said and left, the clerk in tow. Barnaby sat down so he was eye level with Kaede.

“What’s wrong?” He asked when they were alone and Kaede shook her head, running her fingers along the hem of her blouse.

“Nothing.”

“You are upset,” he said more firmly this time. He had thought they had reached some sort of common ground but apparently they were back to square one now and he didn’t know why.

“I’m not upset,” she said pouting and quickly added, “why are you doing this?”

“To get you some new skates,” he repeated not knowing why she kept asking about the same thing over and over. “If you don’t like anything here we can go somewhere-“

“I don’t need you to go buy me anything,” she suddenly said, her small hands turning into fists on her sides, staring at him defiantly, though what she was defying he couldn’t figure out for the world of him.

“I know I don’t need to-“

“You don’t have to be nice to me if you don’t like me. I’m not a little girl,” she barreled on and Barnaby just sat there trying to figure out what she was actually trying to say. 

“What are you talking about? Of course I like you, I’m not-“ he suddenly cut himself off and finally understood. “You think this is out of duty. Because of Kotetsu. That this,” he waved a hand over the skates, “is some sort of bribe.”

She pressed her lips together and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m just saying you don’t have to pretend with me. I’m old enough to understand these things.”

Barnaby stared at her for a moment longer before letting out a sigh. God save him from teenagers. He took off his glasses, rubbed the bridge of his nose and pondered how to go about this in the least painful way. One that wouldn’t involve losing his temper over the teenage daughter of his widowed lover. 

“You think I’m being nice to you, because I have to be, not because I actually like you.” 

“You don’t even know me,” she argued.

And that was the brutal, honest logic of a child, the kind that was unavoidably true. And sometimes the best way to win a battle was to not fight at all. “Fair enough,” he said sliding on his glasses again.

“What?”

“You are right. I know _of_ you, because your father talks about you incessantly, but I don’t really know you. That’s true.”

“Oh,” she said not knowing what to really say to that.

“But since I don’t know you, I can’t not like you either, right? So how about, you get to know me and I get to know you, and then we can make up our minds of whether we like each other or not,” he said and was surprised to realize that he was sincere. 

Kaede pulled at the hem of her shirt and thought about what he had said before, about the life at the orphanage. It was the same for her, wasn’t it? She knew of him, she had read the magazines and seen the interviews, but that wasn't really the same thing at all. 

“I didn’t say I didn’t like you,” she finally said and Barnaby smiled and mentally let out a sigh of relief. He knew that at some point they had both given a step forward.

“Good and if you still feel you can’t take a present from me, we can always make your dad pay for it.” Barnaby added and made an effort to sound extremely despaired of his partner. It wasn’t that much of an effort.

Kaede gave him a small smile. “Okay.”

“Let me call Anthony back then,” he said and stood up. He signaled Anthony to come over.

“Hey, Barnaby?" Kaede asked.

"Hm?"

"I’ve always wanted to know,” Kaede started and Barnaby turned to her again, “how do you get your hair like that?”

Bunny blinked a few times before he laughed. “I’ll show you when we get home,” he said and Kaede thought it was rather nice that he’d used the word ‘home’.

***

“I’m home,” Kotetsu called out when he entered his apartment and was immediately greeted with one of the most unexpected, strangest, loving things he’d ever seen. Barnaby was sitting on the couch with Kaede sitting on the floor in front of him, holding up a mirror to see what Barnaby was doing as he brushed her hair and explained her how to style it. They both looked towards him and their amused faces turned murderous in seconds.

“Don’t the two of you look cute,” Kotetsu swooned as he walked over.

“You are late!” Both of them said and pointed at him, Kaede with the mirror, Barnaby with the brush. The resemblance was astounding and slightly terrifying.

“Ah- I’m sorry-“ 

“Really I can’t believe how disorganized you are with your time. We’ll do something about that,” Bunny said menacingly.

“It took longer than I thought, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Kotetsu leaned down to brush a hand over Kaede’s hair, and then moved forward to press an absent-minded kiss on Barnaby’s lips before sitting down next to him letting out a groan.

“We ordered Pizza. You are buying,” Barnaby said with a lot less bite than before and trying hard to not feel embarrassed at the easy affection Kotetsu seemed to bestow on him regardless of company.

Kaede looked over her shoulder then, watched as her father reached out to rub Bunny’s back with a hand.

“That’s alright, it’s the least I can do. Why don’t you tell me what you guys did today?” Kotetsu asked and Kaede, after giving them another long look, did so. The evening dwindled away between talk and dinner and when Kaede saw both of them share a ridiculously affectionate look, she excused herself for the night.

“What? Already? It’s still early,” Kotetsu complained and she glared at him.

“The train leaves early tomorrow and I don’t want to get there all rushed. Besides, it’s been a long day and I’m tired.” She turned to Barnaby who was coming back from the kitchen. “Good night!” She said much more cheerful and gave him a quick a hug, so brief he couldn’t even reciprocate, and disappeared in one of the guestrooms, closing the door behind her. 

Barnaby, thinking he knew what had prompted her to leave, blushed furiously.

“Are you alright?” Kotetsu asked smiling, the kind that said he knew damn well what had just happened. Bunny glared at him, mostly for form, and handed him the beer he’d gotten for him.

“I’m fine. So,” Bunny asked standing behind the couch, placing his hands on Kotetsu’s shoulders to rub them, “how was your day?”

Kotetsu let out a happy little sigh. “Oh it was okay. Tiring because Saito went all out on the stress test this time.”

“Really?” Barnaby said in that quiet smooth voice that Kotetsu had learned to fear. Suddenly, the rubbing on his shoulders went from pleasurable to painful when Bunny dug his fingers into his flesh.

“Ouch- Wha-?”

“See when I called you this afternoon you didn’t answer, so I called Saito directly, and he told me something very interesting.”

“Ah-h d-did he now?”

Bunny leaned close to Kotetsu’s ear, his hands now a bruising hold on the shoulders. “He said that you actually called him yesterday and asked to reschedule the test to today instead of Monday as it was planned.”

“W-well about tha-“

“You did this on purpose,” Barnaby said, his voice not allowing refusal.

Kotetsu stopped squirming and looked up. “Yes,” he admitted and lifted his hands to hook them behind Bunny’s neck, pulling him closer, his eyes moved from his lips then back to the green eyes. “I would say I’m sorry but I don’t lie to you.”

Barnaby glared at him, partially embarrassed, partially upset, partially moved.

“You’re an idiot,” he murmured and Kotetsu grinned broadly.

“I know,” he replied and pulled Bunny down for a soft, tender, upside-down kiss. A slow slide of lips and sighs that unwound the body and blurred the mind. “So, how was your day?” Kotetsu asked and this time Bunny let out a groan and rested forehead against forehead.

“It was exhausting,” he finally admitted. Kotetsu tugged on one wrist until Bunny climbed over the back of the couch and sat next to him. “Teenage daughters should come with a manual.”

Kotetsu smiled, felt his chest grow warm at the way he’d referred to her as a daughter, not just a girl. “But you seem to get along now.”

Bunny looked at him. “That’s why you did it, right? To force us to work it out?”

“Both of you being awkward made no sense. I thought that if given the chance to actually get to know each other, you’d like each other just fine.”

Barnaby looked at him for a moment. “There is some sort of parental wisdom buried under all of that.”

“Hey!”

He shot out a finger and poked Kotetsu’s chest. Hard. “It could have gone horribly wrong.”

Kotetsu grabbed his wrist. “I knew it wouldn’t. I trust you.”

Bunny wanted to sigh again and instead pressed his lips together. How could Kotetsu of all people, notorious for always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, pull off the smoothest, most heartwarming sentences?

“Thank you,” Kotetsu continued.

“What for?”

“For today. For doing what you did today. It means a lot,” Kotetsu said lifting Bunny’s hand to press a kiss to his palm. His fingers twitched at the warm touch.

“Yeah well, I’m still going to make you pay,” Barnaby murmured leaning over, pushing Kotetsu to lie on the couch.

“Ah, yes, the skates, right?” He asked amused.

Bunny sucked on his neck, moved to nibble on an earlobe. “I did say you were going to pay. I just didn’t specify how.”

“Is that so?” He replied, his voice going rough and then quickly turning into a yelp when he felt his earlobe twisted firmly between a thumb and an index finger.

“You have no idea,” Bunny warned and then stood up, smoothing down his shirt, tossing back his hair. “I’m off then.”

“W-wait, what?”

“It’s late, and it’s been a tiring day, and you have to get up early tomorrow,” he scolded slipping on his jacket. He was already at the door by the time Kotetsu caught up with him.

“You really have to go?” Kotetsu asked, trapping Barnaby between the door and his own body.

Bunny tugged on the tie. “You know I must. No way I’ll behave if I stay. Besides, you need to be rested for what I have in mind tomorrow,” he added and enjoyed Kotetsu’s slightly glassy-eyed look.

“You are a wicked man.”

“Quite,” Bunny gave him a playful peck on the lips. “I’ll be here tomorrow to see Kaede off. Night then,” he said, opened the door and walked down the hall, leaving Kotetsu leaning against the doorframe to wave him off.

"Night."

***

Kaede looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath. She had gotten dressed and ready for the day and was right now convincing herself that she would not be weird if she saw Barnaby and her Dad in the morning. It was not going to be awkward. It was not going to be strange. She was not going to think about the looks they were giving each other last night, or the way her Dad kept absently touching, or the way that would make Barnaby blush.

Crap, she was thinking about it.

Letting out a slightly frustrated scream she straightened her shirt three times in a row, nodded at herself in the mirror and stepped out of the guestroom, walking stiffly into the living area.

“Good morning!” She almost shouted and Kotetsu turned away from the stove, showered and dressed and with a spatula in his hand.

“Good morning,” he said both happy and slightly confused at her. “Sit down, breakfast is almost ready.”

She looked around, saw no signs of Barnaby and sat at the island, wondering if she should ask where he was or not. As it was, she got the option taken away from her entirely when her father spoke.

“Bunny is on his way here,” Kotetsu said as he served her a plate with sausage and eggs. 

“On his way from where?”

Kotetsu looked at her surprised. “From his apartment. Do you want juice or milk?”

“His apartment?!” She shouted and Kotetsu looked at her baffled, a carton of juice in one hand, one of milk in the other.

“Yes. Why is that so shocking?” He asked and earned himself a frustrated groan. He was just thinking about what Bunny had said regarding teenagers and manuals, when the door opened and the man in question stepped in.

“Bunny~”

“Hello.”

“Milk or Juice?”

“Coffee.”

“Good Morning, Barnaby.”

“Good Morning, Kaede.”

“Breakfast?”

“No.”

“Have some anyway.”

“We’ll be late.”

“We’ll be on time. Toast?”

“This is plenty already, and you should be wearing an apron.”

“I don’t need one for a simple breakfast.”

“Then why is your shirt stained?”

“What? Where?”

“Next to your third button.”

“Oh you’re right. It doesn’t matter, I’ll be wearing a vest anyway.”

“You are honestly deplorable at times.”

“Oh, fine, I’ll go change. Finish your coffee. Kaede, have some juice.” 

Kaede lifted the glass her father had slid over without really thinking about it, intrigued by the exchange she had just witnessed.

“You should finish your breakfast, otherwise he won’t let you go,” Bunny said and she remembered she had barely touched it.

“Oh, right.”

“Is something wrong?” 

“No,” she smiled. “Nothing at all.” They ate their breakfast in companionable silence until Kotetsu stomped back down the stairs.

“Alright guys, I’m ready whenever you are.”

“I’m done Dad, I’ll go get my bag.” Kaede stood up and made her way to the room.

“I’m done too.”

“You barely ate anything!”

“I didn’t want to in the first place.”

“It’s not good to skip a meal. Next time I’ll cook you something tastier.”

“Kotetsu, it tasted just fine.”

“Well I’ll make something you’ll actually want to eat.”

Bunny leaned over, tugging at Kotetsu’s tie. “Well, there is something I’m always hungry for,” he murmured, sliding the silk between his fingers. Kotetsu smiled.

“That’s either very crude or very smooth,” he said just as quietly but kissed him softly, the brief touch only rekindling the heat he’d barely banked the night before. 

“It’s meant to be both,” Bunny replied lifting his cup again, hiding his amused smile.

“I’m ready,” Kaede said coming back with her bags. Barnaby put down his cup and nodded towards the door.

“We’ll take my car.”

“Why?”

“Because if you drive we’ll arrive there tomorrow.”

“Are you saying I’m a bad driver?” Kotetsu asked shocked as they left the apartment.

“No, I’m saying you are a slow driver.”

“I’m a precautious driver.”

“How do you even know that word? And I’m both precautious and fast.”

“He’s right dad.”

“Wait, you drove her around yesterday like you usually drive?”

Bunny opened the door for Kaede, waited for Kotetsu to climb in as well before going to his own side. “Yes.” 

“Like a maniac?”

”Like a skilled driver.”

“You don’t drive like a maniac when you have a child in the car!”

“Dad!”

“Kaede is certainly old enough to not fret over a bit of speed, right?” Barnaby asked looking at her in the backseat. 

“See? He understands!” She said and jabbed her finger against Kotetsu’s neck.

He pouted. “I think I liked the two of you better when you were awkward.”

Barnaby reached out and patted his thigh. “You don’t.”

“Hey! Hey! Both hands on the steering wheel! Geez, Bunny.”

“Stop behaving like an old man.”

“I am an old man.”

“Only when it’s convenient for you.”

“You are being to mean to me for no reason. Kaede, you never told me, what you were doing this summer,” Kotetsu blatantly changed the topic and spend the rest of the drive ignoring, or at least pretending to ignore, Bunny’s jabs at him.

They arrived, on time for a change, and Kaede was honestly sad to leave. She hugged her dad, scolded him for good measure, and then hugged Barnaby too.

“I had fun,” she said and Barnaby leaned over to pet her hair.

“Me too. I hope you visit soon.”

“I will! Bye now!” she waved and got on the train quickly getting to a seat to look out of the window, where she saw both of them standing, bickering again. It brought her a strange sort of happiness and nostalgia to see it. She waved when they spotted her, and kept doing so until they were out of sight. Content, she sat back, on her way home now, wondering how soon she could go back and visit her family again.

***

“I’ll drop you off now.”

“Sure- no, wait, what do you mean drop me off?” Kotetsu asked sitting up straight. 

“I have errands to do.”

“Errands? What errands? You have to do them now?”

Bunny bit his tongue to keep his stone-cold face from breaking into a smile. “Yes I have to do them now, why?”

“It’s just-”

Bunny slid him a brief glance as he maneuvered through traffic. “Yes?”

“I thought… I’d… pay… up,” Kotetsu said and managed to both look embarrassed and disappointed at the same time. He looked adorable. Bunny trailed his hand up Kotetsu’s thigh, pleased at how he parted his legs automatically.

“What makes you think,” Bunny replied, squeezing the thigh, “that this isn’t part of your payment?”

Kotetsu let out a frustrated groan. “You are cruel.”

“I thought I was wicked?”

“Right now you are being cruel when you should be wicked.”

“Well, I suppose I could… accommodate you in my schedule,” he continued and moved his hand further up so that his fingers brushed over his crotch, “but it will cost you.”

“You have no mercy,” Kotetsu said slightly breathy.

“You can take it or leave it,” Bunny said indifferently, removing his hand only to have it snatched back by Kotetsu.

“I’ll take it,” he said lifting the hand to his mouth and nibbled on the fingers. Not liking the smug on Barnaby’s face, he decided to teach the young one a lesson. “How about I start now?”

“Now?”

Kotetsu leaned over and deftly caught Bunny’s earlobe in his teeth, tugging on it gently, running his tongue behind it, his hand on his thigh, mimicking Bunny’s earlier move.

“Ko-Kotetsu-“ Bunny stammered surprised at the sudden change of roles, looking first at him, and then at the hand that was moving closer to his crotch. 

“The light changed,” Kotetsu advised, moving his hand to rub on the bulge between Bunny’s legs, enjoying how the other man squirmed.

“This is- dangerous- really,” Bunny panted out, trying his best to focus on the street, but having half his brain shoved down his pants was making it rather hard.

“I thought you were a skilled driver,” Kotetsu said, moving his hand earnestly and at the next stoplight, he deftly unhooked the belt.

“Are you insane?” Barnaby asked slightly panicky as Kotetsu slid his hand into his jeans, to palm his obvious erection. Bunny might be worried but it wasn’t stopping him from getting hard.

“I’m just diligent in regards to my payment. I do have a lot of experience paying fines and such,” Kotetsu replied amused, aroused, keeping an eye on the traffic himself, surprised that in spite of his efforts, Barnaby did manage to drive quite appropriately, though not as fast or smooth as usual. He kept switching up what he was doing, just to keep Bunny on the edge, so that by the time they arrived at his apartment, Bunny was shaking. He parked the car, slightly askew, in the visitors spot in the underground parking space, and lowered his forehead to the steering wheel.

“Oh god,” Barnaby panted out, his heart pounding, his mind blurry, and his entire world instantly focused on that one spot where Kotetsu was rubbing him almost lazily.

“I must admit, you are a better driver than I expected,” Kotetsu said amused. “But now we have a problem.”

“What?”

“You couldn’t possibly close your jeans now, not with this,” Kotetsu teased, emphasizing his words with a squeeze.

“It’s your fault,” Bunny whimpered and tried to think about other things to calm his raging hormones. 

“You are right. I should take responsibility,” Kotetsu said and started tugging at his jeans, “lift your hips.” 

“Wha-“ Bunny asked in a haze but did as ordered and succeeded in lowering his jeans enough for Kotetsu to be able to take his erection out of his underpants. Dazed he watched as Kotetsu shifted around a bit himself and before he knew what was happening, he’d bent over, his tongue lapping up his precome.

“Oh- god-“ he whimpered, his voice hitching, his hands digging into Kotetsu’s scalp. Why was this so wildly erotic? They were in a parking lot, in the middle of the morning, and there was Kotetsu sucking his cock like his life depended on it. There was nothing teasing about it, nothing tentative. Clumsy and uncoordinated, he shifted in his seat, to give Kotetsu more freedom, to give himself the ability to thrust. He felt like he couldn’t catch his breath, his mind went completely blank and all he heard where Kotetsu’s soft breathy noises, all he felt was perfect wet heat and then he was suddenly there, coming without a warning, without even being quite ready for it, like a teenager, and he impulsively held Kotetsu’s head in place as he spurted out his release. 

Kotetsu drank him down eagerly, humming as he did so, until he felt Bunny’s hands release him. 

“Kotetsu,” Bunny panted embarrassed, relieved, still aroused, his hands reaching out to touch him and Kotetsu leaned over to kiss him. 

“Better?”

“You- you-“ How come he couldn’t keep his cool with this man? How come whenever he thought he’d finally caught his rhythm, Kotetsu would do something like this and then it was like being back to square one. Bunny took a deep breath. “Yes.”

“Good. You can go do your errands now,” Kotetsu said, tucking him back into his underwear.

“Errands? Wha-?”

“You said you had errands to do.”

Bunny stared at him for a moment before taking his face in his hands and crushing their lips together in what only lovers could call a kiss. “You are mad if you think I’m letting you go now. We are going to do it. Right now.”

“In a bed hopefully.”

“Yours.”

“That would be the closest one.”

Bunny kissed him again, quickly did up his jeans and almost dragged Kotetsu to the elevator. It was one of the rare moments where Kotetsu rather enjoyed being the older of the pair, being at a point where his needs were (slightly) easier to control. He saw Bunny’s intentions of jumping him in the elevator and lifted a hand to stop him, pointing at a corner.

“Cameras,” he explained. “Unless you want to put on a show, you’ll have to wait.”

Bunny let out a whimper but stepped back, pushing his hands in his pockets. “How can you be this calm?”

“It’s an old man thing,” he replied, walking down leisurely, taking his time to open the door. However, the moment the door closed, Bunny was on him, pressing him against the wall, kissing him as if he needed it to live. Kotetsu grabbed his slim hips, pulling him close, enjoying the feel of his man against himself.

Bunny was making a lot of little breathy noises, as he tried to touch Kotetsu everywhere all at once, his desire hadn’t diminished one bit in spite of his rather satisfying orgasm. He tugged on Kotetsu’s shirt until he could slide his hands underneath, feel the taut muscle under his fingers.

“Naked, get naked,” Bunny whimpered, his clumsy fingers not able to unbutton his shirt, and instead moved to work on the belt which seemed a simpler mechanism. Kotetsu unbuttoned the top three buttons, chucked the shirt aside with the help of Barnaby, and then unzipped Bunny’s jacket.

The rest of the clothes dropped on their way upstairs which took a lot longer since they constantly stopped to kiss and grope. By the time they reached his bedroom, Kotetsu was achingly hard and Bunny wasn’t far behind. 

“How,” Kotetsu panted in between kisses and as an answer got rolled onto his back.

“Like this,” Bunny said straddling him, kissing him. “I want to make you mine.”

“I already am.”

Bunny gave him one last long kiss, before climbing off, getting the lube from the drawer, and positioning himself between his lover’s legs. There was an uncommon urgency this time, one that had nothing to do with how aroused he was. It wasn’t a need for release, it was a need to mate. With shaky, eager fingers, he prepared Kotetsu as fast and thorough as he could and when the other man almost ordered him to hurry up and screw him already, he figured he was ready.

He tried, he really did, to enter slowly but he couldn’t, not with Kotetsu’s eager, reckless words, not with his own cock so hard and needy, not with his emotions swirling wildly through him. He pushed himself in, one smooth stroke and stopped. It suddenly felt like it was all so much, his head swimming, his heart pounding up a thunderstorm, his limbs shaking.

“Bunny,” Kotetsu panted swinging his arms around him to pull him close, so that they were almost chest to chest. “I need you,” he murmured close to one ear and Bunny groaned, shifting to get better leverage and started thrusting. His resolve for a slow pace was quickly shattered, and as soon as he found the right angle, the one that made Kotetsu arch his back and shout out ‘God, yes!’, he gave in to his urge to pound wildly.

Bunny’s entire universe shrunk down to that room, that bed, that man, that one perfect spot where they became one.

_I want you, I want you-_

He made an effort to look, to watch as his lover squirmed on the bed beneath him, matched him thrust for thrust. His skin damp with sweat, his hair fanned out messily over the pillow, his hands grabbing his arms as if to anchor himself to reality itself.

“Kotetsu-”

The older man opened his eyes, looked at Bunny, his beautiful face flushed, his eyes a vivid emerald green. The sight of that usually composed face so lost in desire, in pleasure, in need, was enough to drive anyone mad with lust. He reached down between his legs now, taking hold of his erection with one hand, letting Bunny thrusting, push himself through his hand.

“Bunny, I’m-“

“Not yet,” Bunny panted but didn’t stop. He pushed up to kneel on the bed, his hands on the back of Kotetsu’s thighs, spreading him wider, going in deeper. 

_I need you, I-_

“I can’t-“ Kotetsu whimpered teetering on the edge and then Bunny was hitting the perfect spot over, and over, and over- “Bunny,” he gasped out as he arched his back, coming hard over his belly, quivering with every spurt, milking himself dry, and still Barnaby moved drinking the sight in eagerly. So close, so close, Bunny closed his eyes. 

Chest heaving, arms shaking, Kotetsu reached out for Bunny, his eyes heavy, his voice rough.

“Let go,” he said and Bunny did, everything inside suddenly overwhelming him, the pleasure, the lust, the desire, the love, until he was swamped by it and emptied body, mind, and soul. Utterly drained, emotionally, physically, he dropped down on top of Kotetsu, who held him while he tried to remember how to even breathe.

He must have dozed off for a moment because he suddenly awoke as Kotetsu shifted them around in bed. He used whatever little energy he had left to help Kotetsu get the covers over them. He felt oddly bereft when he slipped out of Kotetsu, as if anxious at the separation. But then Kotetsu was embracing him, rolling him into his arms and the feeling was replaced by something he couldn’t quite name but was wonderful all the same. 

“Are you alright?” Kotetsu asked after a moment and Bunny smiled.

“I should be asking that, I was-“

“Enthusiastic.”

Bunny laughed, nuzzling his neck. “I’m sorry.”

“Never apologize for a good thing, Bunny.”

Bunny smiled and sighed content. He felt oddly accomplished. And happy. And glad that Kotetsu had pushed him to face his fear. 

“What are you thinking?” Kotetsu asked, twirling a lock of blond hair around his finger, watching it curl back as he released it.

“Yesterday when you called me.”

“Yes?”

“I was terrified I’d disappoint you. That’s why I didn’t want to do it at first.”

“Bunny,” Kotetsu said, moving away slightly to face him, his hand trailing up to stroke Bunny’s cheek. “You could never disappoint me.”

He placed his hand over Kotetsu’s. “Ah, I’m sure I could, I’m sure I have in the past and I most likely will in the future. But as long as you keep trusting me, I’ll continue to cross over these lines I’ve drawn to keep myself safe.”

“See,” Kotetsu murmured, “how could that ever be disappointing.” He leaned in to brush his lips against Bunny’s, making them both sigh.

“Now,” Bunny said, eyes half lidded, equally sleepy and playful. “In regards to your payment.”

Kotetsu stuttered. “I thought I had paid up.”

“You didn’t think I’d let you up that easily did you?” Bunny purred sitting up, pushing Kotetsu onto his back.

“I’m an old man, I have my limits you know.”

“Let’s break them.”

“It doesn’t work that way!”

“It’s about determination and spirit,” Bunny continued, not being able to stop himself since Kotetsu was looking so serious about it.

“It most certainly is not! There are physiological reasons!”

“How do you even know the word physiological?” Barnaby wondered as he stretched out half on top him, half on the bed, trailing lazy kisses over his lips, his jaw, his cheek.

“Can I pay in installments?” Kotetsu asked, sounding worried.

Bunny rested his chin in his hand and seemed to ponder it for a moment. “It might take a lifetime though.”

“I can live with that,” Kotetsu smiled, rolling them over, reversing their positions. Bunny wound his arms around Kotetsu's neck, pulled him down for a smiling kiss. 

“Me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally posted 9 years ago under a now-defunct alias and was titled "Crossing the Line" which is a dumb title to I changed it into something equally dumb but at least it's new.
> 
> I find Barnaby to be a fascinating character filled with contradictions, one of them being that he is as childish as he is very mature. As independent as he is, he is also incredibly awkward at navigating relationships that require any sort of genuine emotion on his behalf. Schmoozing, having small talk in a business setting, networking, all of that he is extremely good at. But talking to a teenager about normal things? Absolutely fucking useless.
> 
> He is a disaster of a man with the emotional depth of a mealworm and I love him.


End file.
